Andy Ihnatko

Andy Ihnatko

(Technology Columnist, Chicago Sun-Times)

Andy Ihnatko has been The Chicago Sun-Times’ technology columnist for the past twelve years and a columnist and contributing editor to Macworld for nearly twice that time. He co-hosts the MacBreak Weekly podcast for the This Week In Tech network and two regular programs for 5by5.

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How I went from hating my voice to recording three shows a week

PodcastingBeginner

When podcasting was a new thing, I created a show that lasted all of six shows and I hated every second. A few years later, I gave it another try…and now I look forward to every hour of the week I spend behind the microphone.

If you made your own false start in podcasting — or if you’ve never even given it a shot to begin with — my story might help you out. What lit the spark for me? It was the right people, the right expectations, the right amount of support, and the ongoing process of building a home studio that can respond to my goals and desires.

Takeaways
1. Crummy studio, better studio, great studio: settle into an ongoing process as opposed to a clear plan. The evolution of your shows will tell you what you need to buy…not an online guide you found after Googling “podcasting gear”.

2. If podcasting is a lonely, solitary undertaking for you, you’re almost definitely doing it wrong. You’ll burn out quickly.

3. Most of the good decisions you’ll make are an answer to the question “How will I make it to 100 episodes?” Even if you’ve no plans to make it even a quarter of the way there, this kind of thinking will make your 12 planned shows go much more smoothly.